We asked a variety of comms pros what they thought 2023 would look like in terms of social media and traditional media. This is what they said.
The story of the media in 2022 was, unfortunately, much as it has been for the last decade or more. Layoffs, attrition and the collapse of both new media and legacy outlets has reduced the number of working journalists.
While these losses are painful and carry ominous signs for the health of our overall society, PR professionals are seeing an evolution of their work. Yes, traditional media relations will still play a role moving forward — but so will branded content, thought leadership, influencers and more.
Speaking of influencers, social media is seeing one of its most tumultuous years in recent memory. TikTok is ascendant, Meta is floundering and Twitter is in full implosion. What does this mean for pros who are trying to reach audiences through these still-powerful tools?
PR Daily asked comms pros what they see ahead for 2023. These are some of their answers, lightly edited.
Media predictions
In 2023 the media list makeup will look a little different. Alongside journalists and editors you’ll see TikTok creators and social influencers. Gen Z is driving a big shift on what, where and how earned media is shifting deeper into social first. Our job will be to make sure the right people have the right content for the right opportunities.
Matt Prince, head of marketing comms at Taco Bell
PR pros should look for opportunities to be storymakers first, and storytellers second. The ability to make a company do something interesting is power. The ability to shout about what a company is doing is a commodity. We need to prioritize authorship over rote amplification.
Adam Ritchie, principle at Adam Ritchie Brand Direction
I believe a lot of content will be branded in media with an increase in budget cuts for freelancers and dwindling staff. I also believe these cuts will increase lead times and there will be more of a need for tailored and exclusive pitches that really focus on the outlet’s audience. One size fits all will be harder to greenlight and other incentives will help push profiles and inclusion like mailers, dinners with talent or founders, experiences, presentations and trips. I see the latter being true in the beauty, entertainment and lifestyle space.
Brittney Oliver, branded content & marketing communications specialist, Ascension
Trend: with more media behind a paywall, the press release takes on new relevance as the only news everyone can access. As such, corporate communicators need to evolve the press release to tell more of a creative and engaging story, including video, images, quotes, and more.
Amanda Guisbond, founder and chief communicator, Intersection: Health.
Social media predictions
In 2023, more consumers will use social media platforms to highlight their experiences with brands — either positive or negative. They are most likely to do so through short-form videos and reels. PR pros will have to pay close attention to the stories that consumers tell so they can respond appropriately.
Samantha E. McCoy, founder and president, MissionKey Communications
The core challenge we face as communicators right now is the increasing prevalence of disinformation. It has eroded trust in institutional media and in other sources of high-quality information, and soon, it’s going to erode trust in brands as well.
Remember, disinformation isn’t designed to make an audience change their minds. It’s designed to demoralize and exhaust its subjects, and it does that particularly well in today’s media environment because it scales well on platforms like Twitter and Facebook, which -seem- authoritative but aren’t.
If we’re being real, a faction of the political right more or less has a monopoly on disinfo, and my instinct is that, in 2023, we’ll see them organize disinformation campaigns that target brands they view as vocally on the side of fairness and progress. It’s already kind of tough for brands to be politically neutral, and I think that difficulty is only going to get more intense.
Andrew Graham, founder and head of strategy, Bread & Law, immediate past president, PRSA-NY
- Think internal-first. The line between internal and external comms is dissolving. Everyone is acknowledging the importance of engaging your employee audience first and foremost, especially after the past 3 years.2. Comms leaders solidify a seat at the table. That said, we still have to prove value to keep it. How to do that?
– Set expectations. Be clear on your philosophy on the role of strategic comms and the importance of that seat from day one. An early seat at the table makes it easier to safeguard against risk/save headaches later.
– Consider the stage of the business, its current needs and align storytelling to these objectives.
– Build trust. Establish how your team will function to support the business, then read the room.
– Mitigate risk. Look around corners and work backwards from potential challenges/problems, building out strong scenario planning.
– Deliver results that directly move the needle. Show – not just tell – and explain the why behind a tactic/message.
Cath Anderson, senior vice president of communications, Cityblock Health
I think PR pros should keep ideas in their back pocket for how they will increase their clients’ exec visibility if we start to see journalists pulling back from Twitter amidst the Blue Check Battle. Historically, it’s been a great way for media to vet sources and engage directly with industry thought leaders.
Amelia Wright, account director, Alloy
As journalists pull back from Twitter due to the Elon Musk debacle, publicists will have less social access to them. This could be a major problem for companies that rely on Twitter for media relations. Unless a new social network crops up, publicists may need to find other ways to reach out to the press. Many PR professionals are moving to other platforms such as LinkedIn and Facebook, where they can more easily connect with reporters. It is important for publicists to build relationships with reporters on these platforms in order to foster transparency and trust.
Michelle Vieyra, account manager, film & entertainment, Jive PR + Digital
Hopefully, we will see major changes in advertising plans, as companies move money from Twitter to other “more stable” platforms. Also, PR pros will be expected to advise C-Suite executives on what to do with their and their company’s Twitter presence: Pay the $8 or not? And finally, we will continue to see C-Suite executives turn into influencers, for good and for bad.
Daniel Mendez, executive communications & external engagement – technology communications, Johnson & Johnson
Owned content, when done well, will reach specific audiences (such as technical) directly and be additive as a resource for press. More than ever companies will need strong storytellers to develop compelling, concise, and no-fluff messages that differentiate from competition, inspire employees and engage users.
Malorie Lucich, communications consultant, June Street Consulting
What trends do you see for the year ahead? Let us know in the comments and stay tuned for part two of our predictions series, with prognostications on purpose and people in the PR industry.
Allison Carter is executive editor of PR Daily. Follow her on Twitter or LinkedIn.
The post Comms pros’ predictions for 2023: Media and social media appeared first on PR Daily.
View Original Article
